July 16, 2007 – With plans to open a new manufacturing plant in Japan, Canon Inc. will invest 55 billion yen ($451 million) to double CMOS production, according to a Reuters report yesterday. With the increased image sensor production, the digital camera manufacturer will broaden its CMOS implementation by installing the chip into, not just DSLRs, but also into its compact cameras, according to Reuters.
Traditionally, Canon and other digital camera manufacturers have used CCD (charge-coupled device) sensors in compact and point-and-shoot models; however, it appears Canon is now taking strides to reap the benefits of CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductors) chips, such as cheaper manufacturing costs and power efficiency, in its compacts models.
The company plans to produce 3 million CMOS chips a year.
In May, Canon began construction on the factory in Kanagawa Prefecture near Tokyo, Japan. The manufacturer plans to open the CMOS plant in July 2008.
